


Wolf Unbound

by LadyNorbert



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Lucerni, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2019-02-06 22:28:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12827454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyNorbert/pseuds/LadyNorbert
Summary: Dorian realizes that Varric's friendship with Fenris could induce the elf to help him with his fledgling Lucerni party, and give him insight into how they might best end slavery in Tevinter. He didn't expect this assistance to come with a delicious voice and sultry green eyes.





	Wolf Unbound

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Starla-Nell (Princess_Nell)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Princess_Nell/gifts).



> Thanks to my darling AuroraBorealia for beta reading and encouragement.

* * *

**Wolf Unbound**

* * *

“Varric,” said Dorian, “I have a question.”

“Hit me, Sparkler. I’ve got a little down time while we’re in between disasters.”

“Well, I read your  _ Tale of the Champion... _ ”

“Wait, wait. You read one of my books?  _ Voluntarily _ ? I’m flattered!” The dwarf looked amused.

“Oh, stuff it, you lump. Seriously, did I read correctly?” Dorian looked unusually sober. “You and Hawke are friends with an escaped Tevinter slave named Fenris?”

“The one and only.” Varric paused. “Don’t tell me you  _ know _ him.”

“Not - not exactly,” the mage hedged. “But I’m fairly certain we’ve met. I’ve dined at Magister Danarius’s table more than once in days past, with my parents, and I seem to recall his pet slave acting as wine steward.”

“Yeah, that was something he told Hawke - I wasn’t there for the conversation, but I read her diary and extrapolated details. He said Danarius liked to have him pour the wine because his appearance intimidated the guests.”

Dorian chuckled humorlessly. “I would concur. I remember being a bit unnerved - I was quite a young man, then. But I suppose he was as well. More than unnerved, though, I pitied him; he was literally collared.”

“No offense, Sparkler, but I’d just as soon not picture that.” Varric shook his head. “The elf’s a free man these days. Spends his time hunting down slavers.”

There was a lengthy pause; Dorian fingered his mustache while he contemplated something. “I don’t suppose you’d have the means to contact him, perchance?” he asked suddenly.

“Who, Fenris? Yeah, I can send him a letter. Might take a little while for it to reach him, but why?”

“Your dear cousin-in-law and I are in talks about reform back in Tevinter, and part of the platform we’re looking to embrace involves eradicating slavery. It seems to me that having a former slave working with us would provide us with some much-needed perspective and insight.”

“You and Mae are in cahoots?” Varric smirked a bit. “Now that I think I’d pay to watch. All right, I’ll send him a message and see what he has to say.”

* * *

The letter was sent, but no reply was had for nearly a month. However, when it came, it took both Altus and dwarf by surprise. They had been down to the Deep Roads with the Inquisitor, inspecting some of the camps established there and getting acquainted with some of the dwarves involved in the effort to stop the deadly quakes. Dorian, however, had taken unexpectedly ill; it was nothing especially debilitating, but the headaches weren’t responding well to elfroot and he was himself no healer. “Pity we no longer have Solas,” he muttered. “He was useful for that, sometimes.”

Concerned for the well-being of her beloved friend, the Inquisitor had insisted Dorian return to Skyhold, with Varric accompanying him. “I know you’re not fond of the Deep Roads,” she told the dwarf, slyly. “So I’m giving you an out.”

“I owe you one, Your Inquisitorialness.”

Dorian found that his headaches were helped immensely by the return to fresh air and sunlight, and they took the road back to Skyhold in good spirits. What awaited them there was a genuine shock, and which of them was more astonished was anyone’s guess, for Fenris had not written.

“Elf?!”

The white-haired creature, clad in black spiky armor just as Varric had described, was standing in the middle of the lower bailey of the fortress. He had preceded them into the vicinity by less than an hour, it seemed, for he was still taking in the whole setting.

“So this is Skyhold.” He turned to face Varric. “It’s good to see you, as strange as that feels to say.”

“I’m not complaining myself, but I didn’t expect you to turn up in person.”

“You said I was wanted and here I am. Where is this Tevinter mage who thinks he can actually change the world?”

“That would be this shiny fellow to my left. Dorian Pavus of Minrathous, meet Fenris, lately of Kirkwall.” Varric gestured aimlessly between the two of them.

“I won’t say it’s a pleasure exactly,” said the elf, giving Dorian an appraising glance. “But your idea has merit, so I came to see for myself what you have in mind.”

“Well, nothing concrete just yet,” Dorian managed. Fenris had eyes of such piercing green that he was momentarily struck dumb, and the elf had a voice that he could only describe as _decadent_. Some part of his brain wanted to somehow pour that voice onto a bed and roll around in it, if such a thing were possible. “But we’re calling it the Lucerni party, and we’re planning to meet with some other members of the magisterium who might be open to discussion - once I return to Tevinter, that is. Though I’m given to understand that you are not exactly fond of mages.”

“I am not exactly fond of  _ most _ mages,” Fenris corrected him. “That includes two of my own closest associates in Kirkwall. Varric can tell you that Hawke’s friends endured a great deal of teeth-clenched teamwork, mostly for her sake. But if my time there has taught me anything, it’s that I cannot tar all mages with the same brush. I am in fact rather fond of one mage in particular.”

“He means Sunshine,” Varric translated. “Hawke’s little sister.”

“Ah yes. You’ve spoken of her often.”

“So I am not unfamiliar with working alongside mages for a common goal,” Fenris continued. “I am, however, unused to working alongside mages from Tevinter. There was a time when I might have come here with no other goal in mind but to kill you,” he added, his tone almost jovial. 

“You’ll forgive me if I’m less than eager for that,” Dorian replied lightly.

“My years in Kirkwall changed me. Danarius can no longer harm me, and I have... learned.” Fenris looked thoughtful. “Perhaps now it’s my turn to teach someone else.”

“Well, I’ll leave you kids to it,” said Varric. “I’m sure Sparkler has a lot to tell you about all his hopes and dreams for turning Tevinter into the happiest place on earth, and I’m sure the elf hasn’t remembered to eat in a little while so you should probably go do that. I could even be persuaded to distract Josephine with a sneak peek at my next book, so you two can slip down to the wine cellar unnoticed.” He chuckled. “I can’t promise there’s Aggregio, but you’ll probably find something worth drinking.”

* * *

Fenris had been at Skyhold for perhaps a week when Dorian realized there was a growing problem.

To be fair, Varric wasn’t going to let him delude himself for long. “So,” he said cheerfully, “do you want to know how many people I’ve got bets with about you and the elf?”

“You’re making side bets with other people now? My coin is no longer good enough?”

“I make it a policy never to bet with people about themselves. They tend to throw off the averages.”

“That’s probably smart,” Dorian allowed. “All right, exactly what are you betting, and with whom, and for the love of Andraste,  _ why _ ?”

“Oh, please. You’ve been mooning over that ‘velvety voice’ of his ever since he got here.” Varric snorted. “Ten years ago I’d have told you that you were wasting your time, but he’s mellowed a lot. He  _ might _ be open to it now.”

“Mm. So what are the bets?”

“Mostly people think you’re going to lure him with poetry and wine to some secluded arbor just outside the walls. I’ve gone to have a look, this is an actual place,” Varric added. “Kind of pretty, if that’s your thing. My money’s on nothing actually happening between you until after you go to Tevinter.”

“About that. I had planned to leave at the end of the month, provided our dear Inquisitor gets back in time for proper goodbyes,” said Dorian. “But I’m hesitant to rush him out the door and back to a country of which he has either terrible memories or none at all.”

“You’d have to take that up with the elf. But if you can resist him long enough to at least get on the ship,” Varric added, “I’ll send you a share of my winnings.”

“I think I can oblige.”

* * *

Varric was quite right, of course; the matter had to be brought to Fenris’s attention, and sooner was better than later since it would give him time to adjust to the idea. To that end, he went in search of his new companion. Much to Dorian’s surprise, Fenris had claimed a corner of the library; more specifically, he had claimed  _ his _ corner of the library.

“Forgive me, I know this is your usual seat,” he said, glancing up from the book he was reading. “But Varric said you were looking for me, so it seemed like the reasonable thing to do was to wait for you where you can generally be found.”

Dorian chuckled. “Quite. Well, it’s a simple matter, but I hesitate to distress you about it. The simple fact remains that if I’m to enact any sort of changes in Tevinter, I must logically be in Tevinter to do it. And I had been making arrangements in that vein, to depart in a few weeks.”

“And you think I am unwilling to accompany you?”

“Rather, I feared that would be the case.”

Fenris shrugged. “As I said when we met, Danarius can no longer hurt me. Perhaps it is time for me to face the remainder of my demons. As you say, where else can one logically make changes to Tevinter but from inside it?”

“If you’re quite certain that this won’t be too emotionally taxing for you, I should welcome your company on the journey. I’ve already written to Maevaris and I daresay she’s looking forward to meeting you.”

“Returning to the land of my imprisonment in the company of a mage.” Fenris shook his head, but a smile was curling his lips; Dorian was fascinated by the curves of the elf’s mouth. “And I thought Hawke took me to strange places.”

“I could take you to stranger places than that,” said Dorian with a laugh. Instantly he regretted the words; but they were out.

Fenris, however, merely tilted his head as if in thought. “I don’t doubt that,” he replied. “I might even enjoy the trip.”

“You just might, at that.”


End file.
